The Mistake
by KimiTien
Summary: Team Kakashi been through alot together. A teammate leaving and attacking them, Orochimaru attacks against the village, The Akatsuki trying to get a teammate from them. But can they handle one of them dieing and a other ones dreams? sakuraXsai
1. Tickle Torture

Hi. Thanks for reading this... hmm I had to fix something. I did read before i really got the story done that this was going to be a SaixSakura and a SasukeXSakura but really its just going to be a SaiXSakura... Sorry

so now please enjoy and tell me how im going. thanks

i dont own naruto.

_You can't go though life without any mistakes, human error is a perfectly natural thing and if anything, it simply teaches you more. - Someone I don't know_

The Mistake

Chapter One: Tickle Torture

It was just a normal peacefully day, beautiful and sunny. There were birds singing, children learning how to throw kunai and shuriken to become a better ninja for their village. It was just a normal, peaceful day in Konohagakure... sort of. As long as you weren't on the training grounds of team 7 or nowadays called team Kakashi.

Kunai and shuriken scattered the ground, stuck to trees that has seen better days. Boulders the size of small houses, seemingly ripped from the ground, stuck in trees or smashed against trees, throwing them aside. Burn marks everywhere, Black goo known as ink dripped from branches and rocks, landing with a small plopping sound. Smoke drifted like clouds across the field and an unconscious blonde lay out in sun. If anyone who wasn't used to seeing a ninjas training ground, they would think a huge battle happen but basically this a normal looking field for team Kakashi.

"Dickless didn't last to long after he opened his mouth, Hag."

"Keep it up, Sai and you.ll be next..." panted a very tired pink haired Kunoichi.

The black hair ninja known as Sai answered with a fake smile and went back to picking up scrolls. While the silver haired ninja known as kakashi poked the blonde with his foot before looking up at Sakura. "I wouldn't of thought you would really try and take narutos' head off but you came real close without killing him, this time." He said walking and dragging the blonde under a tree and resting.

A small hmp came from Sakura before "Well he's the one who shouldn't have said I like Sai. As if." followed by a sigh from under the tree of Kakashis'. "And don't open your mouth Sai I don't want to hear It." she added before Sai got an out a remark. Instead He just smirked as he sat down in front of her.  
Sakura eyed him for a minute before turning back to kakashi and asked "Wheres Yamato? I thought you said he'll be joining us before noon. It's past now." _In fact it's about 3 now_ thought Sakura.

Her answer was Kakashi shrugging and pulling out his book which she crinkled her nose at. She laid back against the tree and all was quiet for afew minutes with the only sounds was pages turning and a paint brush moving over paper. Till there was groan was heard from naruto and him sitting up slowly holding his head.

"Ahh.. SA sakura-chan? What did I do this time?" naruto asked rubbing his head.  
"You said that I li-Hpmm!" Sakura was cut off when dirt coated hand covered her mouth followed by a groan from the blonde. _That little pain in the ass!_ Thought angrily by Sakura as Inter-Sakura added _"Little?! Him?! Ha! He can fill the valley of end with how big of a pain he is!!"_

"Ohh Sakura-chaaaan quit yelling my head hurts..." Naruto said as he rested his head on her shoulder, letting his hand fall from her mouth and rest across her other shoulder. Sakura just sighed and gave an endearing smile before bring her hand up to rest on his head and pour some healing chakra to ease the headache. After she was done and she heard a sigh come from him, she ruffled his wild hair before moving so she could use him as a "pillow" of sorts. Naruto Lifts his arm to allow her to move more freely before laying it across her shoulders again only this time resting his forearm across her neck where she absentmindedly stroke his arm.

After afew quiet moments she looked up at naruto to see him lending back against the tree with his eyes close, just enjoying the peacefulness that happens after the team training. She turned her head to look at Sai who was sitting in front of them with his back against his own tree trunk, with his drawing pad out. She smiled as she watched him. Even if he calls her hag or ugly dog, hes changed a lot over the years hes been with us. Even if he tells us were annoying or picks on or ruffles up naruto's feathers Hes always here for us when we need him.  
Sai feeling her eyes on him for awhile looks up and stares at the pink-haired girl in front of him before giving a small girn and went back to drawing.

_Ass..._ She smiled as she thought that one before lending back to look upside down at Kakashi who like always has his nose in his prevented books. Since Naruto came back and Sai joined the team he's been around more and training them more. Making sure "his brats" as his fellow jounin friends called them; were alright. She had very few thoughts about him._ No matter what happens or how much they've all changed he had always stayed the same. Like a light in a dark tunnel, always leading them the best way and only way he could._

She turned her head back to naruto watching his face as the light hit it through the leaves in the tree. She then smiles thinking with his blue eye if he wore mascara they would just... Pop. Of course that thought lead to him wearing make-up than wearing a dress. His shoulder length hair pulled up to pig tails. Which by the end had her giggling up a small storm that lead to her breaking up laughing holding her sides, with the thought of ALL three males made up as girls to being girls seeing how it was a easy Jutsu thanks to Naruto. Naturo looked down at the kunoichi under his arm with a questioning stare before looking up at sai who had stop drawing at the sound of Sakuras' laughing. Sai raise his eyebrow at him with a questionable look. This was answered with a shrug. 

Both shinobi glanced down at the girl before looking at the older slivered-hair shinobi, who had glanced up to see what she was laughing at before going back to his book and giving a shrug to the "boys" of the group. The said boys turned back to Sakura.

Naruto gave one more glanced at Sai before asking "Hey. Sakura-chan? What's so funny?" Sakura who was claming down from her mirth, simple smiled up at him as she reaches up and stroke just under his right eye, just above a scar where he didn't move fast enough and a kunai cut him.  
She smirked as she said "Hey if you wear mascara. I think it would make your eyes just pop right out!" right after she got that out she starts giggling again which was joined with a snort from in front of them and a small chuckle from his right and a raising of a golden eyebrow from naruto. He sat quiet for a moment before smirking down at the pink-haired Kunoichi.  
"Oy Sakura-chan? I never knew you liked my eyes. What else do you like of me, hm?" Wiggling his eyebrows at her before moving a bit faster than her and tickles her sides, making the girl twist and turn and laugh in horror/glee trying to get his playfully manner of tickle torture. "Do you like my hands?" asked naruto to the laughing girl who had fall off his lap and trying to escape by moving away from him but he quickly moved to pin her under him all the while continuing tickling her.

"Stop! St -laughs- op! Nar -squirms- ut -laughs- TO!!■"Sakura tried to get out in between laughing. She starts hitting his arms or pushing on his shoulders to get him off. It lasted for afew minutes before Sakura began to not like being over-powered by a guy so using her "freakish strength" against him she rolled them over so she was on top and him bottom with his arms pin to his sides. But that only got a smirk and wiggling of eyebrows again.

"Sakura-chan, didn't know you liked top." Said girl blinked before turning a nice shade of pink.  
"You couldn't tell? Man you are dense. With her attitude, strength, of course she was going to be a topper." Said a very amused artist Nin.

"Shut it Assho- Whoa! No Sakura-chan! Don't!!" Yelled Naruto as he tried to hold back a very mad and a very scary Sakura from Sai.

"OH Sai! I'm going to Kill you!!" Screamed said girl.

During all of this Kakashi, jumped up into a tree and hanging one leg off the side of the branch he was on and continued to read the book. It was at a good spot.

sometime later

Two Ninja walked down the street arms locked with each other, laughing. As a beaten one walked beside; behind them followed by a Sliver-haired ninja with his nose in a book. All of the village people moved out of the way of the four ninjas, seeing as their were the strongest team in their village and has earn a lot of respect among them. The young woman was the hokages' student / daughter like figure and besides the Hokage herself was the strongest Kunoichi in the village and had temper to mess with, who at the current moment hanging off of one of the strongest shinobi and everyday seem to be closing in to becoming the Rokudaime. Who both to be getting a death glare from the black-haired look alike artist ninja who can give the future Rokudaime a run for his money during sparring. And who didn't know of the great Hatake? The copy ninja; one who copied over 1000 jutsu and the only one who could keep all three ninjas in front of him under control┘ for the best part of the time. They headed to the raman stand or the local hang out for all Ninjas; The Flying Shuriken Bar, both known for the hangout for these four when not doing missions or training or doing what they did when not in each others company.

"Oh come on, Sai. It was funny. Your face was priceless." giggled Sakura as she glanced back at him.

Naruto Laughes. "Yeah! You were like "oh my god! Im going to die!!" hahaha it was sooo funny." earning a extra glare from said man.

"Come on, sai." Sakura said letting go of Naruto to pull Sai up to her side and wrapping her arm around his. "Who knew that branch was so weak?"

"I still say you two planed it." grumbled Sai as he looked away from the big green eyes of Sakura.

"Hey if it would make you feel better you could do the mascara for Naruto!" Sakura said smiling in all her glory.

" Yeah! You could... wait what?! Hell no!! No damn Make-up Sakura! I'm no girl nor S-class criminal!" Shouted Naruto only to get laughed at by Sakura and Kakashi and a small grin appeared on Sais face.

All stop walking seeing a messenger running up to them. He stopped in front of them and leans down slapping his hands on his legs wheezing and puffing. Finally he got his breathing under control enough to say "the.. Hokage wants you.. all of you.. now!" He gave one last look at them before running away again shouting over his shoulder. "GET GOING!!!"

All four of them raises their eyebrows at each other, thinking on the same lines _Why didn't he just poof or jump across the roofs like normal shinobi_ before nodding and disappearing in a flash to get the hokages tower.


	2. The Change

Sorry it took me abit long. I didn't know how to word some of it at the end. Till about 2am. whoops

so now am hungry

thanks to Miranda for the great review

The Mistake

Chapter Two: The Change

The Four ninjas jumped down from the rooftops, landing on the platform of the stiars to the hokages tower. Walking in they made their way to the double doors of the hokages and knocked before entering at the "come in."  
Walking into the room they were faced with two of the council members and the Godaime herself, standing looking down at some scrolls. Upon entering the Godaime looked up from the scrolls and gave team Kakashi a grave look that made the team straight up, knowing something was going to happen that they won't like.

"Team Kakashi" She started only to stop short and look back down at the scroll as if to confirm it before starting again. "We have some news.. On Otogakure.■"Which meant news on Orochimaru; news on Sasuke. The missing member of the team.  
Sakura's eyes widen. "Tsunade-sama. What has happen?"

"It seems like Orochimaru has made the wrong people mad A.K.A. the Akatsuki. It seems The Akatsuki went against him and they have been in a small war just outside of Konoha and Sunaga. It seems Gaara-sama has requested his shinobi to the borders to make sure they don't take it into their lands.■"This is when Tsunade sat down in her chair with a heavy sigh.  
"They have sent a message to us about this and our own border units have sent conformation of this and all has been sent to stand on our side. But.." Naruto moved forward and brought up. " Obaa-chan, We already know this. It's been going on for a week or so now. We know both sides have had heavy losses.." He was cut off by Sakura continuing with "But also the Akatsuki AND Otogakure has only sent their underlies nothing bad." She ended with Sai starting up. "We went there and confirm that one. Its not like they could do some real damage to us as they are now.■"

Tsunade looked back up at the four ninjas, who were all in agreement and was visible relaxing in front of her, with a frown upon her face. "I think I would know that." Rolls eyes "But around the Takigakure village and the Kusagakure village have spotted Orochimaru or someone who looks really close to him, coming this way to the borders." She watches the faces of the team in front of her take in what she said and the meaning behind it. "I've sent teams there already once I got the first news but Orochimaru himself.. no I won't let them face him." after she shook her head she looked into all four set of eyes before adding. "Well you know the rest. you're team leaves tomorrow morning. Yamato will be joining you as back-up plus to get me updated on things there. Your free to go."

"Yes Hokage-sama." rang out of the four before turning and walking out of the doors, shutting behind them.  
Tsunade turned in her chair to look out of the window in time to see them jumping off to Sakuras apartment to form a plan like they always do before a mission. But she doubt that to much planning was going to be made with the current news.  
"You think it wise to send them out there? Their to close to this, their let their emotions get in the way of the work. You see how they are together! Fighting and bickering." Said one of the two around her.  
"Maybe.. That's what this needs; Emotions. Besides you two weren't saying much when they came in, they scare you and you know am right. And now am sending the ones you fear, to take out as much as our enemies as can. If you didn't like this plan you should of stopped me."she said, lacing her fingers together, she turned back to her desk and looked over the statements and scrolls.  
"We did try to stop you!" yelled the other. Tsunades' snapped up to the two now standing in front of her.  
"Well you didn't try hard enough, cause I STILL did it. Now Shizune!" The blonde power house watched as the doors were throw open and Shizune came running in. "I need our fastest hawk to be sent to the borders with this scroll." as she finished she pulled out a small scroll that was in a desk drawer and handed it to the black haired woman. "Also your pig really needs to find something other than the flowers to eat and I need a bottle of sake and show these two out." The blonde said. After she was done she turned and stared out over the village of the leaves, leaving no room for an argument from her friend / follower.

Down at Sakuras

Sai sat by her living room window, propping one arm on his knee that was drawn up to his chest. The moon hit him making his normal pale self paler but with a glow that only some get from the pure white light. His onyx eyes scanning the living room and the people in it. He still wore his shirt that stopped above his stomach. The ANBU black pants stopping just above his ankles showing off his black sandals, which to Sakuras' displeasure, he wore. _To-Do-List 1) Beat Sai... Again_.  
Kakashi leaned against the far wall near her bedroom door, foot propped up flat to the wall. His arms crossed over Jounin vest clad chest. He still wore the standard jounin uniform, expect now he didn't have his sandals on nor his book out. His one black eye watched the blonde who paced from one window to her front door, while tapping a gloved finger against his side.  
Naruto, getting out of his orange jumpsuit days, now wore a black jacket which had some orange in the front and sides, black pants covered the powerful legs. His arms crossed and uncrossed in front of him. For a moment he would stop only to start again. The normal loud mouth, hyper ninja had a scowl and his two gold eyebrows meet as he continue to think. His bare feet making soft padding sounds that was joined by the clock on her wall. _2) get a clock that doesn't click 3) carpet, carpet, carpet._  
Sakura, upon opening her door fled to her bedroom and changed into something more comfortable than her ninja gear. She pulled her now long pink hair up in a ponytail, thrown on a white tank top with some little yellow, drawstring pants on. Only when she felt alittle more comfortable did she come out to the living room finding her boyd as they were now. So she quiet walked to one of the two fluffy chairs that sat on the of the couch. Pulling her legs up and to the side of her she sat and watched the men in front of her; no one daring to break the silence for awhile.

Since they left the hokage's tower, no one spook. They landed and waited for Sakura to open her door to her one bedroom apartment. She had moved out of her parents place much to everyones comfort. Trying to hold meetings about the next mission was a bit hard when her mom bustled around them, trying to get them to eat some of her cookies or her "little ninja sandwich" (which is had made for Sakura when she started her ninja training) and only made the pink haired woman blushed madly. Or her mother would start crying about how dangerest her "baby sweetie-pies" missions were. They thought of having them at Sais place but was quickly reminded that he like his apartment the way it was and didn't want to buy more food so to feed naruto or miss out of sweetie-pies ninja sandwiches. ( to which he got a red face kunoichi and one hell of a egg on his head.) No one dared Narutos place, something about having the smell of rotten milk and ramen didn't sit well with the team, other than Naruto himself. And well Kakashi was Kakashi. The unwritten rule of "of you come to his house better be for something good"

She had a good size apartment. Working odd hours at the hospital and the normal ninja missions, pays off in the end. She has a good size kitchen that was enough for a small two sitter table with room to walk around. Her living room had a couch and two chairs. Some bookshelves off to the sides. And in the corner nearest the kitchen had a four sitter when they all ate there after a mission and didn't want to leave each others company; though most of the time they sat on the chairs or couch or floor when there. A bedroom down a hallway and a nice size bathroom. She was still fixing it up so it had more of a live in feel and at moments like this she wishes it did have that feel.

Naruto finally stop pacing and sat on the couch with a heavy sigh. Kakashi, who was waiting for that sigh look to the others in the room. "Well anyone?" he just had to brake the silence.  
"If he's there, try and get him to come back." naruto said.  
"Kill Orochimaru." Sai added.  
"Come back at least better than last time?" Sakura said turning hopeful eyes at the three men, knowing it was like telling Chouji not to eat but still had to voice it.  
Kakashi chuckled. "Well it seems we got it in order. But what if you can't get Sasuke back?" He adds turning to Naruto who has his head in his hands. Sakura watches Naruto for a moment before locking eyes with Sai. They stared into each other eyes and before Sakura thought about what she was saying she was voicing.  
"Then he is lost to us and we should keep him from becoming a body of Orochimaru and kill him." Sai gave a small smile before nodding to her and looks down at Naruto who was gaping at Sakura.  
"But Sakura..!■"

"No Naturo." She reaches over and touches his hand. "I know you promised you would save him and bring him for me but that was years ago. I've had time to grow and change. He has too. But not for the better like you and me. No hes changed for the worse. He could never just walk back into this gates and be the same boy who left years ago. He has done things that, yes we ninja do but he's done only for the gain for himself and for Orochimaru who wants nothing more than to destroy our home." She gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes to him; a sad one. "And naruto. By killing him we can save him from himself, orochimaru and many others that could get in his way. We can bring him back that way than. You would still keep your promise, just not the way we thought in the beginning." Naruto looks at her with confused eyes, like he didn't think it was her, never thinking she would say something like that. "Sakura-chan." He stops himself to look down at the smaller hand covering his before continuing again. "I know I can do it.." Even to his ears it didn't ring to true. She squeezed his hand.  
"I don't want to see you hurting anymore. I don't want to see any of you hurting because of him. I'm the one who cleans up after him, after he's done throwing you around cause you hold back. I said no more holding back this time. Hes not nor will he even be the same boy we knew when we were team 7." She looks to Kakashi, who during the talk took out his book and was reading. "Well oh mightily captain, hows the book going?" at this she got a eye creasing showing him smiling under his mask.  
"Well it has its fine points but missing somethings but all and all. It will do." He catches her eyes showing her he got the under meaning of her question before smirking. "I could read you a part.. Its where Mai-lei goes and gets caught in the bathhouse.."he trails off.

"KAKASHI-SENSAI!!" screams the pinked hair girl who's face was a bright red. She grabs the pillow from the couch and throws it at him only for him to slowly moves to the left, chuckling.  
"You know one way to get some enemy to die is just make hag here scream. She could blow out their eardrums." Sai added only to the other pillow aimed at him.  
They continued till Naruto stood and look down at Sakura who was still in the chair and said. "Ok." he turned to Kakashi and spoke without any of his normal cheerfulness. "When do we leave?"

The sliver haired ninja watch the young man for a minute or so before saying "Be at the gates at 6 am tomorrow morning." Naruto nods before walking slowly to the door and shutting it behind him. Sakura watched he go and stayed staring at the door when she asks

"I did something didn't I?" Kakashi shook his head as sai sat down on the couch where Naruto was just sitting.  
"I believe it could get some getting use to for him, this new plan. You know how he is with people he cares about. And we just talked about killing one of them."

"I care about him too Sensai but.." She turned back around and stares at him with tears in her green eyes. "He's done to much to us and others to just be forgiven." Sai leans over to her and puts his hand on hers. Her eyes flash to him.

"I believe he knows that, he's always has but never wanted to believe it. He wants it back the way it was before this mess happen." he gives her hand a squeeze and a smile and in return she gives him one, with alittle more cheer than the last smile. Kakashi clears his throat before heading for the door.  
"Well now that this meeting is done Ill go and tell Yamato when we leave and in the mean time. You two go and pack than sleep." Sai gave one last squeeze to Sakuras hand before standing and follows Kakashi outside. Sakura says goodnight to them and watches as Kakashi "Poofs" away before turning to Sai who was just behind her. When she looks at him he was bring his eyes back up to her face and slowly a small smirk appears on his handsome face. She glares.  
"Good night Sai." She bit out.  
"Good night Ms. Ugly Duckling." Sai said before leaping off and onto a rooftop and disappearing from view leaving a red face girl behind.  
Sakura huffed before turning and walking into her apartment and snapping the door and walking to her bedroom and starts packing.  
After she was done she laid down and stared at the ceiling before glancing over at the picture that was facing her, showing the real team 7. She glared before pushing it down and rolling over. Her last thoughts before going to sleep was _I can't believe he looked at my ass and read my pants..._

For on the back of her pants said "Quack"

_Damn Ino.._


	3. Teammates

Here is chapter three, thanks earth and angel for the reviews. Glad you enjoy it

tootlies

The Mistake Chapter Three: Teammates

Sai woke at 5. He stared up at his ceiling like always. He was always a early riser, even when he was younger. Normal though he would be up taking a shower, eating, painting. But today he just scene he shouldn't get up. Something grabbed at him it felt bad like his heart was dropping in a endless void. So with this unknown feeling he just lay awake, staring, thinking.

When he finally got up and out of his bed he notice it was 5:20. Well he wouldn't have time for painting but enough time for a shower and a quite grab in the kitchen. During his shower a few thoughts came to him. This mission was to be a safe guard against the sound village. They didn't want another attack on the village, understandable. Safe first with Oro-hmm snake idiot. Yeah that works he thought as he dries himself off. And to use team Kakashi was another understandable thing to do. Two of the members were trained by two of the Sannin, so why not use them? They probable sent the "rookie 9" too.  
But that one factor that came along with the snake idiot was the old member of team 7; Sasuke Uchiha. He frown at that stopping as he was putting a foot in his pants. The what ifs came at him than along with that void. _What if he did come back? What if hurt the bonds of his old team again? What if when he came back he was no longer needed for the "replacement"?  
_He grunts as he fall back on his bed when he slips from a loose paint brush on the floor. "hmm.." Sai bent and picks the brush up and stares at it. If the traitor came back to the village than Sais part in team Kakashi would be done, he knew this. Hell he didn't have to stay in this team for so long, for nearly a year now. He could of stopped when they came back from the sound base on the first mission he joined it. He could of went back to the normal life of an Black-op with no name nor face to the world. It was simple then. So why didn't he?  
Two smiling faces went though his head along with some memory's of a pink headed girl showing him how to mend a broken leg, showing him pictures from a med book. Her red tinted cheeks as he move to close or she got embarrassed from her friends or team. A blonde jumping up and down waving his arms around, trying to get his point across to the two Jounin that lend the group, eating way to much ramen making him seem like an endless void for the stuff.  
He smiled as he went though his kitchen for something other than ramen, making him shudder. Spying an apple he grabs it and walks back to the living room, munching on the defenseless apple.

_Bonds_ He thought grabbing his pack from the corner he put it last night _That's why am still around. I want to see Naruto get his "bastard" of a friend back. Sakura give a real smile. To see this team 7 I've heard so much about; together again. And not trying to kill each other._ He was leaping from rooftop to rooftop now. Jumping one last time he lands near the gates to see the blonde in a head lock being preformed by a angry Kunoichi, who's pink hair looked to have life of its own flying about her. And a Yamato looking like hes about to do some hand signals for his "box of doom" as Naruto would call it. _Well maybe they always tried to kill each other._ he thought with a smirk.  
"Dickless, Ugly.. Duckling." He spoke and gave his nod to Yamato as one of the ninjas stop what she was doing and turned a delightful shade of red as the other started to yell at him about something about dickless so he just shrugged it off and lean against the side, waiting for the last member of the group.

Surprisingly at 6:02am the famed copy ninja poofs in front of the group.  
"Yo" Kakashi said lifting a hand in his normal greeting.  
"Wow, Kakashi-sensai, only two minutes late." Sakura spoke kneeling down next to him as he did when he pulled out a map. "Must be a record." Kakashi grins, placing the map down fully on the ground as Naruto, Sai, and Yamato came around him too.

"Well I did had some other things before coming here, I could go and do them..." letting his words trail off at the end as he starts to raise only to have two hands come down on his shoulders. He smirks as he was pushed back down to squatting again.

" No. stay" Sakura said alittle to cheerful with a edge of annoyance.  
"Ok then. Lets start the drill." Kakashi said and continue speaking about the way they would go, what's to happen and all the stuff that is always done in the beginning of a mission before setting out. As Kakashi spook, letting yamato add a few things, Sai watched his teammates. When ever they went against their old teammates sensai or him they all seem to be on edge, a tightness to their voices when they spook of the Uchiha. Even the aloof, late copy ninja became stern and on time.  
"... and if we can't get him to come back than we have the orders to ... kill with anything we can." At this he watches the blonde and pink hairs of the group. Naruto looked up and stares into the eyes of Sakura. Blue vs. Green in a silence battle. To which the green downcast to look at peddle and blue stare turn to a glare before it to looked again from the pink head. Sai got up with the rest as Kakashi put the map and other papers back in a pouch. "Is everyone clear with this?" he asks looking to the group in front of him.  
"Hai Kakashi." Sai said.  
"Hai Kakashi - sensai" Sakura and Naruto whispered at the same time. All three saying it together. Yamato just nodded before they headed out of the gates of Konoha to the borders.

In woods some hours later

Naruto was up front of the group, lending the rest. He stand in site of Kakashi who was jumping from tree to tree, setting the pace for the rest, but didn't wait for them. Yamato was jumping just behind of the sliver haired ninja and seemly trying to get the other to talk. Sai stayed in the back watch the pink hair of one Sakura Haruno, flow in the wind as she jumps a few leaps from the two jounin. He could tell she was upset just with the way she was moving and acting. Thinking before acting he sped up till he was leaping right next to her. She turns her face and stares for a moment before looking where she was going.  
"Sai.. Do.." She stops herself to bite her lower lip.  
"I do, what Sakura?" Sai asks tipping his head to the side. She shook her head and didn't speak for awhile. _Shes going to be a brat again_ Sai thought as he sighes. _Fine fine_.  
"So why did you have Naruto in a headlock at the gates?" he asks knowing if you keep her talking she'll tell or in this case ask what she wants too.  
She turns a shade of pink before replying "Well.. He was just being Naruto. Impassionate, hard-headed, idiot.."

"Overly caring and kind-hearted?" Sai added figuring out what her question could be about. She went quiet again keeping her eyes on the back of said blonde.  
"I tried to talk with him." she spook with sadness in her voice that he took a double look at her making sure she wasn't crying, He hates it when his teammates starts crying. "About everything, mostly about Sasuke-kun and this mission." add a frown from sai with the added "kun"

"he just wouldn't see it any other way. He won't see that hes more than lost to us and given the chance kill us without a second thought or guilt. But he won't hear of it. Said if I had lost hope, that I never loved or cared for Sasuke. I was giving up hope like everyone else. And if I was losing hope than I didn't believe in his strength and didn't trust him to keep his word; promise." she turns her head at him with tears forming in her eyes. "But Sai I do believe in him and trust with my life! I tried to tell him but he keep on about how I didn't." She shook her head. "I just don't know what to do or say to him anymore. He seems hell bent to get Sasuke back." sighs "I just don't know anymore.." Sai took time to think. What could he say to someone who was fighting themselves and their friend and teammate since they were 12? Mostly what could he said to Sakura about it?

"Naruto... he once said that Sasuke-san was the first to notice him; help him. Maybe this is more than a promise to you but to himself. Maybe he sees Sasuke-san as himself when he was alone and wants to return the favor and help him. Knowing you were with him to get his best friend back, help put team 7 together again gave him his strength to continue on. Maybe all this time he's been seeing what the others have been seeing but as long as you were trying too he wouldn't have to give up hope. But now..." he stops trying to find the best words to use. He didn't want to sound like it was all her fault. But she was part of this fault. " maybe he sees you stepping away from him as well, like the others. He thinks your going to go too. You must also remember he thought of Sasuke-san as a teammate, friend, brother and the thought of killing that bond.. Well you can grasp at the feeling." he finishes lamely and knows it but what else could he say to her would she could very well feel the same thing.

Last he knew she had deep feelings for the man he was replacing. But when he heard her say something about killing Sasuke, Sai felt something lift he didn't know was there and smiled at her to which she returned. At that time he had a feeling to just walk over to her and pull her into a bone crashing hug. He held back when naruto and her started to talk, wondering what that feeling was.  
Turning his face to the woman next to him, he saw her working what he said and was taking it to heart at least. And he knew that cause she wasn't yelling at him; yet.  
When she turned her head and looks at him, he waited for the yelling but it never came but instead a soft smile appeared on her face. "Thank you Sai." she whispers to him. Her steps became more bouncily even if she was jumping forward. He went back to watching ahead of them falling back behind her to take back point again. "Yeah well _someone_ has to think smartly in this team, duck" he said adding some chuckling at the end seeing her slip from the branch so she landed like a new kid learning how to mold his chakra to jump around in trees before going a bit faster to catch up with the older ninja with a "hmp!" Alittle while later Yamato told something to kakashi and Kakashi nodded before saying

"Naturo! Were going to camp for the night find a clearing up ahead."

"Sure." came from the blonde before he disappears from view.

Once Naruto found a nice clearing he came back and lend them to it. Everyone went to work on finding fire wood, fishing, getting water, etc. by 8 pm came around Yamato was once again trying to get Kakashi to talk to him. Kakashi was sitting against a tree reading his book while giving short and to the point answers to questions that were shot to him. Sai sai across the fire look over near the small river to where Naruto and Sakura stood.

When they were done with everything and Sakura put the fish on sticks and put them over the fire she had asked to talk to Naruto. They've been talking for about 10 minutes. During that time Sai has already turn the fish over. He watched as Naruto wave his arms around and Sakura wraping her arms around her looking into the river or ground anywhere but camp and Narutos eyes. Now the blonde seem to clam some and was standing there staring at Kunoichi across from him. Sai lifts a eyebrow and stops drawing. Naruto reaches out and grabs Sakuras upper arm, Sakura who wasn't watching him; jumps alittle and snaps her face up to look into the blue eyes of Naruto. Naruto brought his other hand up to her face and with a thumb wipes at something. As Sai focus he had wipe away some of her tears.

Naruto brought the crying girl into a hug and made a "shh" sound barely made it over the fires popping or the other two talking ninjas. Sakura wraps her arms around naruto returning the hug. Sai sighs softly before starting to draw again.  
"hey, Sakura-chan?" Sai looks up hearing Narutos voice seeing them still standing near the river. "The fish are going to be burnt..."

"oh no!" Yells the girl as she pushes a laughing blonde away and ran to the fire, pulling the fish away from the fire only to see them lightly brown and done.

"I flipped them." Sai said looking back down at his painting.  
"Oh so asshole knows how to cook? You sure your not the dickless one here?" naruto asks as he walked up to fire with his hands behind his head. And not missing a beat Sai glances up only to give a fake smile and saying

"Oh so your admitting your dickless?"

Naruto jumps back up and points a figure at him. "I am not dickless!! You sick asshole!!"

"Ok, ok. Looks likes dinner is done so lets sit and eat." Yamato said walking over, for the time being stops bugging kakashi who trailed behind him, taking a fish and walking back to "his" tree and sat.Naruto still cursing under his breathe as he ate got a playfully punch from Sakura.  
She looked up and caught Sais eyes and gave a beautiful smile, silently thanking him. A corner of his lips went up as he nodded at her.  
The rest of the night was spent picking on each other before turning in for the night.

_After being with these people, I dont think I could just go back to a nameless ANBU that no one knows. This is.. peaceful._ Sai thought before he too fell to sleep.


	4. The Beginnings of the End

I find it really funny how when i write only the good stuff comes at around 2, 3am. -.-

I showed my sister the starts of this and said she didn't really like it. Now i know i really, really dropped because she used to bug me for something to read. Of course back then i did alot of co-op writtings with afew people and some of my own stuff. but yeah...

Well Enjoy this one and i hope you all like it.

hmm forgot to say this for the last two chapters soo... I dont own Naruto...k?

The Mistake

Chapter Four: The Beginnings of the End

Smells. Delightful smells hit his nose like tiny kunai. Slowly black orbs blinks against the soft glow of the sun. Some fog went over him for a minute, smelling of bacon. wait bacon. He thought and turns his head to see the campfire going and a small travel kit for cooking over it. Than knees, frowning he moved his head back to see a pink head kneeling before the fire with a fork and plate in her hands. _Ahh... right.  
_He sat up rubbing the back of his head watching her cook. One of the things he likes about missions that took more than a day, fresh air, things to paint, waking up with little to no thoughts, and cooking done by someone who knew how to. He could never decide which of the last two he liked more. Instead of waking up and staring at his ceiling hours before he has to, he got to sleep a bit longer and woken to wonderful smells of food cooking.  
Yeah both were his favorite, both equal only to each other.  
Green eyes force on him and with a small smile and soften eyes the woman spoke. "Morning Sai. Sleep well?"

"hmm.." Was his replay as he move to stand.  
"Kakashi-sensai and Yamato went off to collect the traps they set last night." She said as she flips some bacon onto the plate before throwing a few more pieces onto the "stove".  
"Hmm Ramen... No... Don't eat... Mine... Nooo!" mumbled the ramen freak that still laid off to the side.  
"And Naruto is having that dream again when Konohamaru and his friends stole his ramen." Sakura said sighing as Naruto rolls onto his belly again. Sai smirks remembering that one. It took some time to get the dickless followers to do it. He sat upon the Hokages towers roof for that. Watching all the clones running around. Blonde ones chasing after all the brown heads and black heads was highly amusing. Even if he got a black eye for it, it was worth it.  
He was going to say something along those effects if it was for a Sliver haired jounin jumped down right next to Naruto. Naruto who was fast asleep jolted out of his sleeping bed, well tries to but the zipper catches on a belt loop, keeping his legs stuck inside. "AHHH!!" Yelled Naruto as he fall back down to the ground with a "ofmp" and moaned.  
Kakashi slowly moves to the fire; where the bacon was. Bending he picked a few pieces up. Standing, rubbing a still shock Sakuras head before he made his way over to his pack.  
"Wheres Yamato?" Sai asks also standing and leaning to the side to see Naruto fuming, trying to get himself unstuck with a few mumbles about jounins, waking up, bucktooth.  
"Hm? Oh right Yamato. Weeell." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head turning to look at him, sheepish. "He thought it would be a good idea to find the rest on his own."

"In other words, you fooled the poor man again, Kakashi-sensai!" Naruto getting unstuck of his sleeping bag said walking over to Sakura who had rolled her eyes and had went back to cooking. Kakashi chuckles lightly.  
"I did not." Was his replay before turning back to his pack and bacon.  
Feeling his own stomach growl with hunger, he to went to sit by the fire with the blonde and pink head. After awhile Yamato came back to camp and ate some of the bacon as well. When everyone was done with eating and finishing up cleaning the area up to look like no one was there, then headed out again towards the border.

It was near noon when they reach the small tent base of Konoha and Sunaga. To say the least; it was surpising to see so many ninja running around. Medic-nins running to and from tents. And beyond the tents you could heard the clashing of blades hitting each other and explodes as tags and Jutsu were being use. Black smoke filled the air beyond the tents, filling their noses with the smell of the battle.  
As they land a tall man ran towards them, wearing the jounin outfit and leaf band on his forehead. "Team Kakashi. Thank hokage!" he said. He had on some bandages on his arm and under the leaf sign. Dirt and blood caked on his vest as he gave a weary smile at them.

"Whats happening here? I thought they were on the borders not this far in the fire nation." Yamato said stepping forward to talk to the man.  
The man sighs rubbing his forehead. "They were, they were. It happen last night. We had the Sand shinobi over here to trade information on what they knew and before we knew it the alarms went off and more sand shinobi came out of the tree line followed closely by sound ninjas. It seems like they left the sand borders and started to march this way." He sighes shaking his head. "The only reason we got the huge crater was for the Kazekage was with us checking up on everything."

"Wait Gaaras here?" Naruto ask stepping up next to Yamato who was listening carefully to the man in front of them.  
"Well.. yes. Gaara-sama is here. He's resting right now." He jesters behind him to the sand tents. "He stays over there. I heard some of the sand nins saying he woke up and I was just going to give him progress report." He turned back to them and added "They said he was getting ready to set out again."

"Alright." Yamato said putting a hand down on Narutos shoulder, silencing him before he spoke again. "Point me towards the informant tent." The man turns and points to a flag.

"it's the tent with the flag can't miss it." Kakashi steps up and places his hand on Yamatos' shoulder, leaning down whispers something in his ear before Yamato nods and heads off, after waving. Kakashi then turns to Sakura.

"Sakura, your going to be needed down in the medic area, your now skilled than all of them and they would sorely need help. We'll come and get you when we head out again." "Ok Kakashi-sensai." Sakura said before waving and walking down to where the medic-nins where seem running around. Kakashi then turns to Naruto and Sai.  
"Well we follow err.." Looks back at the man. "What's your name?" he asks trying to sound cheerful again to him.  
"Tsuneo. Now if your coming, you better hurry. Gaara-sama doesn't like lateness." Tsuneo said before turning on his heel and jogging off to the sand base.  
The last of the group jogged behind him. Sai took in everything that was around him. It was true this wasn't his first time near sand ninjas nor his first in a battle but to see so many running around seemly to him like chickens without their heads but knowing what they were doing, was one of those things to just see, before you to became apart of the madness.

They got to the tent where two shinobi standing guard. And after Tsuneo show them the scroll and told them why they were there; they were allow to enter.  
Entering the tent they saw a table with five people surround it and scrolls and maps covering it. Sai and them stood off to the side while Tsuneo walk forward and place the scroll down on the table. Bowing he left the tent with another scroll for the leaf.  
He watched as a red hair came out of a room next to where they stood and look from Kakashi to him than to Naruto.  
"Hey Gaara! How've you been?" Naruto ask slapping his hand on the light green eye man, missing the how they glared at him from being slapped. The five at the table stop talking and turn to face them and bow to their Kazekage. He put his hand up to stop them from saying anything as he turns back to face them.  
"Hello Naruto, Kakashi." He said nodding to Kakashi and taking Narutos hand off his shoulder. He then put his eyes on Sai, who put on his fake smile for him. "Who's your new teammate." He said still staring at him.

"My name is Sai, Kazekage-sama." Sai said trying for respect, with a small bow. Not missing as the Kage rolled his eyes before glancing at naruto who had lean in and put his hand over his month and Gaaras ear. The green eyes went back to Sai and he had an urge to downcast his eyes or move. A corner of Gaaras month moved up, if you wasn't watching his face you would of miss the movement before he went back to looking bored. Gaara gave a sideways glare at naruto who was grinning from ear to ear and had his hands laced behind his head, before sighing. The red head moves towards the table while speaking. "Where's your Sakura-chan, Naruto? She is still part of your team, no?" Naruto and Kakashi walked up next to him. Kakashi leaning down studying the maps and scrolls on the table as Naruto place his hands down on it. "Yeah she is. She's doing her medic thing you know." Naruto said sighing.  
"How are the forces holding up again the sound nin?" Kakashi said sparing a glance to the Kazekage next to himself.  
"So far, we had a few wounded from them. The surprise attack is what got a lot of them. The sound and Akatsuki have been taking turns fighting each other and us. Their numbers never waver. You take down one another comes to takes it places." Gaara reached across the table and grabs the new scroll and begins to read it. After he was done he gave it to Kakashi to read. "It also seems like the medic-nins are not holding up with all the bodies from the surprise attack and the fighting below."

"Yeah well. Sakura-chans here now so that won't be a problem." naruto said before they got into talking about the battle, news of what they knew. Sai came to the table after awhile and stood across from the three, the five who was there before had left when Gaara had "shoo" them away from they tried showing him something, with a glare, getting a laugh from Naruto.

Feeling eyes upon me I find the sand villages leader looking up at me. "you don't speak much." it wasn't a question more of a statement, hanging out there. But he shrugged it off.  
"I'm here just to make sure he" points a thumb at naruto. "Doesn't get into much trouble, the hag would have my head." Sai mumble that last part out. But by the look of questioning from the man before him, Sai knew he heard.  
"The.. Hag?" Gaara said lifting an eyebrow. "Who would that be?" Next to Gaara, Naruto starts a coughing fit and Kakashi gave him a look for him to shut up before turning to Gaara. "Hes' been around Naruto to long." Smiling under his mask again Gaara lifts a eyebrow, giving the sign of "you mean been around you to long" but turns back to Sai, waiting for a answer.  
"it's a nickname for Sakura." He answered blankly. _Whats the big deal if he told the leader of the sand Sakuras nickname?_ he thought. Gaara narrowed his eyes at him, fisting his hands in the scrolls under them. Sai if wasn't for being train to keep a clam front up would have had a look of fear on his face, but no, one of his smiles stood out. Kakashi moved so fast Sai didn't notice him move before he was being pulled out of the tent.  
"Sai why don't you go and check up on Sakura, hm?" Kakashi said pushing him out of the tent.  
Inside he heard naruto laughing nervously, saying something about another Sakura back in Konoha and Kakashi agreeing.  
Sai shrugged and made his way to the medics. He didn't see the big deal for calling her hag. She hasn't cared, why should a Kazekage of a different village would? Frowning as he pass a few ninjas, he thought on that.  
He had heard of some of the details behind them knowing each other, Sakura being one of the ninjas they sent to get gaara back but why would that get him about a nickname? Looking up he saw a flash of pink. _Well I could always ask her why_. he thought as he came up behind her and another medic.

"There. This one should be fine. Just make sure to change his bandages." Sakura said standing up, wiping sweat from her forehead. Turning she looked at Sai and smiles. "Let me guess.. You made someone mad again with your comments?"

"The Kazekage." Sai answer shortly walking beside her as she made her way to a tent. She gives him a look of horror as she stops.  
"You made Gaara mad at you? Are you insane?" she ask pulling him away from the medics who was running by to stand off next to the tent. "What did you say?!"

"That your nickname was hag. He acted like I called him hag." he answer hoping she would explain the exaction from him.  
He watches as her as she made a face at the name before rolling her eyes at him. " I wouldn't say those nicknames in front of Gaara; mine nor Narutos. After we got him back, he acted different towards us and when around him now he doesn't take lightly when someone picks on us." She laughes than. "Oh you should of seen what happen to this one guy when he called Naruto worthless. I think hes going to be getting sand out of his butt for months."

Sai lifts a eyebrow, seems catchy. "Why would he do something like that? He is the Leader of a village."

"Well.." She looks off towards the battle field before turning her eyes back to him, shifting from one foot to the other. "We got his body back and brought him back." she said a bit rushed but Sai caught it all with his trained ears. Just before he could question her about it, a mans voice spoke from behind him.  
"Hey Saaaaakura."

Sai turns as she step around him before grinning at the man with a painted face, wearing all black with three summoning scrolls on his back.  
"Oh hey Kankurou." She said walking by Sai and giving Kankurou a quick hug. "how have you been?"

The man grin as he look around. "Fine, just fine. Been busy. Gaaras been making sure I stay out of trouble after last time." he chuckles. "He still nags at me for getting poisoned but that's all right, Temari jumps on his case if he lays to hard on me."

"That's good to hear." Sakura said.  
"What about you? Heard team Kakashi been kicking butt around the areas."

"eh well we just do the missions given to us. Oh." She turns and grabs Sais hand, pulling him forward. "This is Sai. Hes on our team now, well for almost a year." Sai nods to the taller man.  
"Yo." kankurou said.  
"And you won't believe what this idiot has done. We haven't even been here an hour and hes already made your brother mad at him."

Kankurou laughs, rubbing the back of his head. "And I thought only naruto or me could get him mad so fast and still live!" He then eyed Sai with a even growing smile. "So what did you do?"

"Told him Sakuras' nickname." _Why was it funny to get his Kazekage, brother mad? weird people, these sand people are._ he thought.  
"Sakura with a nickname, huh? Whats -" he was cut off as a huge explodes went off next to them, in the battle field.  
All their heads snap to it seeing a lot of smoke and before it cleared a gaint snake head lifted up, over the smoke.  
Everything stop and seemly pause in time before two more heads came out and the cries of the men in front of them was heard all over the clearing before in a uproar all the sounds came back and the fights continue trying to stay out of the way of the huge snakes.

Sai looked up to see the ninjas around them started to run down into the crater to help their friends. He gave Sakura a look before both ran into the battle, flanking each other, leaving a cursing Kankurou to catch up to them.

_And we're pulled into the madness..._


	5. The Meeting

Not much to say about this one or anything... i dont own naruto but please enjoy the story

oh and sorry for it being abit jumpy. I wanted to do different view points on this chapter.

tootlies

The Mistake

Chapter Five: The Meeting

A word to describe what his eyes first saw after the explodes and the dust settled would have to be surprise. As he looked upon the battle, Ninjas from both sand and leaf attacking and defending against the sound and Akatsuki. Akatsuki and sound attacking each other. _Hm! Their not ever real Akatsuki. Just wannabes!_ He thought darkly. His blue eyes move from the battle to the red head standing next to him. Gaara stood unmoving, watching the battle take place before turning to address some of the ninjas behind him. The blonde than turned to Kakashi. He just knew There, down in that battle, was his other teammates.

"Naruto." Kakashi spoke low, cutting off Gaara who stopped to listen to the older ninja. "We need to find Sakura and Sai. Yamato has been told to stay up here. After that we find them, stay with them."

Nodding naruto said "Right. Gaara..." Turning he puts hes hand out to Gaara who at first just stared at it before shaking it. "Take care and maybe after this we can have that rematch, huh?" Gaara giving a nod before letting go of his hand gave his word.  
"Let's go." Was all he stand before all the ninjas on the foothill, disappears to join the fight.

At the Battle

Earth shatters. Swords meetings lights the smoke filled area with sparks. Kunai and Shuriken and other projectiles whizzes through the air, some making contact with bodies others landing in the ground. Screams and cries from those unfortunate to meet with the ends of the projectiles or jutsus. Summons raced among each other, trying to get at whatever they can, when they can.  
If you stopped for a second you would be caught in the deadly rain of weapons.  
Slowly ever so slowly did a pink hair medic and a artist nin make their way to the front lines. Slipping through the ninjas of their village and allies they jumped in between a small group of sand ninjas and the larger group of sound.  
Sakura rises her arm up, summoning some chakra into her fist as she slams it down into the ground making cracks large enough to take men into the earth, to their deaths. Some of the sound shinobi jumps away before her strength, to throw kunai at her only to be blocked from the earthy wall that was forced up.  
"Move!" Sakura yells over the sounds of battle to the sand shinobi. Coming back to themselves they jump and landing on the wall to throw their own kunai down on those who had stayed beyond it. Sai moved and grabs Sakuras arm.  
"Sakura, I need to regroup with the others and you need to get back with the medics! Your skills are needed there!" Sai said. He knew when he tried to give her a silence warning not to go down, she would do just that, but now that she help alittle she really needed to stay where he knew she won't get hurt.

"Sai. Where would my skills be needed the most? Here helping people so they won't die on the field or" she stops, pulling her arm back she blocks a kick aimed high for her head. Sai throws a few kunai into the woman. Continuing as if someones body didn't just land at her feet. She adds "Or standing around on a hillside waiting to see who could get out of there without being dragged by a teammate?" She also throws some shurikens over his shoulder as he sent some paint wolves at the ninja behind her.  
_Well when she put it that way, it did make some sense._ He thought with a frown, not even watching as his wolves took down two men. Seeing the frown on his face, she smiles after sending a round-house kick to a man who came at her with a sword, throwing him to the ground.  
"Don't worry so much, Sai. Like you said before we left." Right hook in the gut. "These" Heel to the ground sending rocks everywhere. "Guys are" Grunts to block a side kick, grabbing the leg and throwing the body into five others. "Easy." She said wiping at her brow.  
His sword met with a kunai before spinning left and down, cutting the mans stomach. "I know, I know." He grunted out before jumping back from the rain of Shurikens aimed for him. "But the snakes." Turning and grabbing Sakuras hands with his one free hand and spins so she could kick at the five surrounding them back some, before placing her back down. "I don't want you." Hisses as a lucky punch got the side of his face before he turns and lets the blade of his sword meet with the arm of the woman who punched him. "Get hurt." He finishes looking at the work they did before being pulled once again behind the wall by Sakura who had wrapped a Exploding tag of a Kunai and throws onto a tree nearest some Akatsuki. Bracing for impact, he grabs her and slams her body to his as he pulls them down to the ground.  
After the rocks, blood and who knows what else stop hitting them, Sai looks up to see just above their heads, an inch or two more higher; the wall was basically destroyed. _Well now we need a new shield._ he thought. Glancing in front of them he saw sand and leaf ninjas getting up and moving to an area that still had ones to fight. Looking down at the pink head nestled in his chest, with her arms still wrapped tightly around his sides, he had to smile _No I guess she would be better here._ he thought.

Sakura pulled back from him and blinks before smiling. "I think I won this argument."

He rolls his eyes. "Anyone could of threw a tag at tree, Hag. Besides what did the tree do to you?" Like he was going to give in to that thought though. Sakura pushed away from him and stood with a "hmp"

"It got in the way."

"Sure it did."

Flashing a quick smile at him she took off where the fighting was. With Sai chasing after her, with his own girn on his face.

The Battle seem to go on for hours. Sakura and Sai found Narutos' clones and him taking on a small area with the help of Kakashi and a few Leaf nins. They stayed and help for a bit before they moved on again, with the other teammates with them. Naruto making about 20 clones of all of his teammates and making them run around attacking and retreating to confuse the masses of Sound or Akatsuki, depending on who came across first; before the fall by some other leaf or sand ninja or the real person of that clone.  
Alittle ways away, Sai saw a massive wall of sand rise and hover for a moment before falling down on some ninjas who didn't get out of the way fast enough. Sai saw Gaara and his bodyguards, though it seemed like Gaara was doing more of the guarding then them about 60 feet away. You couldn't miss the only red head in this battle nor the pink head.  
Sai's eyes went wide. _Where?_ He wiped his head around searching for the only pink head, cause all of the clones disappeared after the last bomb went off. He saw some earth shoot up and without second thought; he ran for it.  
Coming over the small hill to see Sakura standing at the bottom locked in some taijutsu with a Akatsuki ninja. He felt relief before angry over took it. _She should of stayed near one of us! In my sight damn it!_ he thought darkly as he jumps in the air to throw the last of his shuriken at some ninjas going to help or attack both Sakura and the other. He lands off to the side of her fight is only to rise his sword up to block a swift downward strike from a brown headed female. Blocking the swift swings of the woman in front of him, he could hardly get a swing in for himself. His been fighting for what seems to be hours and his body was starting to protest, making it hard to just block let alone attack.  
He didn't even notice when Sakura had moved again.

Following Sakura

She moved as fast as she could. Her body telling her it was getting tired, but she didn't listen. All she knew is Orochimaru had came here and she was mad. She knew Sai was trying to help her but with everything done over the last few years, all the pain and suffering that was done to her and naruto and the village; it was him, Orochimaru who did it. His hand stirred the pot for suffering for them and she didn't train under one of the sannins, Tsunade, for nothing. This was what she had started her training for. Things has changed over the years but some of her reasons didn't change nor would they never if she didn't see them though! And one of those things was to make sure Orochimaru could never do what he did to her team; to some other team. She saved most of her chakra only using some of it to brake the earth or to throw a man twice her size around like he was nothing but a rag doll, her favorite thing to these "I'm stronger than you" men. _Have to remember to thank Lee for helping me with my taijutsu._ She thought happily as she did a back kick to the woman behind her and using that same leg to do a half round house to a man in front of her. Spinning to face the woman who was need catching her balance and runs at her. With a few chakra less punches, the woman went down. She moved on to the next.  
She needed to prove she wasn't some little girl anymore. She could handle herself. She knew her boys knew she could, hell all of Konoha and Sunaga knew she could. Her sensai always liked to say "your was going to be in the bingo books soon" or " Someday, pretty soon, your going to surpass me." And she be damned if she didn't live up her mother-like figure.

Throwing the last man aside, she glances around her. She couldn't a lot of people. No sign of Naruto or Kakashi. Only Sai who seems to be following her around. Wiping at her brow and taking deep breathes she watches him. He was being pushed back by a brown head and had some cuts on his arms, legs, and stomach. After she finally got over Sasuke, though she still cared deeply for him, she started to see why Ino had like Sai. He could be an asshole but he had his nice sides that he was showing more and more to her and the team. She tried not to think it but he was pretty cute for a clueless man. Hearing a small cry of pain from him, her heart jumped in her throat. Growling she was about to head over to him and kick the brown heads ass for stabbing Sai. Yes it wasn't fatal but still, that's her teammate! Only she was allow to stab him, granted it was needles when he need a shot but still.  
"Hello Sakura." Said a cold and heartless voice behind her that made her stop in her stomping over to Sai. _Oh please don't let it be him_ She thought as she slowly turns to see the blackish blue hair and blood red eyes of Sasuke Uchiha. _Grrreat!_  
She stood firm as he looks are her as if he was just wondering why he would find her on a battle field.  
He smirks hearing nothing from the pink hair woman. "What no "Hello Sasuke -kun?" thought you cared." his voice had no emotions, nothing to betray what he was truly thinking or wanting.  
She frowns. "Uchiha." she tries her best to keep the shaking from getting to her voice. She was proud when you only heard alittle shaking.  
His smirk disappears to be replace to look bored.  
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she spoke. "Sasuke Uchiha. We are ordered to One bring you back alive or two bring you back dead. Pick your choice." He stayed quite for a while.

Slowly he frown. "So your still going on about me coming back? I thought I said I didn't want nothing you do with you or Naruto again."

She narrows her eyes on him. "I could careless about you, trash, but I have orders. Just thought I would tell you."

"Careless?" He gives a deadly smile, she stops herself from shutting her eyes and shivering. _How many has seen that smile and died afterwards?_ She thought. "What happen to loving me? How could you careless if the one you love died?"

"I was 12 than Sasuke and now im not. I've changed and so has my feelings." He seems to glance over her shoulder before back to her face.  
Shrugging he said. "I guess that would make sense; Couldn't have me so you went to my replacement."

"What?!" She hisses. _How dare he!!_ Sakura listened to inner sakura scream and pull her hair out before listening to the man in front of her again.  
"Well... hmm forgot his name, my replacement, the man you looked to be going to. I see you two when make a good couple. His pretty weak a perfect match for you." She turned around hearing Sai cry out again. _Things not to do: number one: don't turn back on an Uchiha.  
_Before she could turn back around there was an arm wrapped tightly around her waist holding her to a chest. "See? Weak." He leans down, she could feel the muscles move behind her. He slowly by each word leans all the way down next to her ear, saying. "Just. Like. You. Always. Will. Be." Her eyes widen before glaring.  
No way in hell was she going to let this bastard going to get her crying. No way, hes meeting her fist and feet just like the rest of the ninjas she fought. She smirks.  
"Im going to take this as your answer. And the answer being the latter." before she got the last word out she slams her elbow back into him and driving chakra on her foot, she slams that to down onto his foot.  
Sasuke hissed falling backwards. He could feel the bones in his right foot broken. He had just enough time to throw his arm up to block another chakra laced kick. Sakura fought her hardest. She used all the chakra she could without draining herself to the point of death.

Kick. Punch, Punch. Block, back up. Roundhouse. Block, block. Punch, punch, kick, block. Back up.  
And so on did the two former teammates fought. What else could she do? Ask for a time out and wait for one of her boys or other ally come and save her? No! damn it was strongest kunoichi; second only to the hokage! So there was no way in hell was she just going to stand around and be called weak! Being called weak was when she was younger not the 17 year old she was today.  
The fight between ex-teammates came to a stop when lost her balance for a second and Sasuke kicked her, making her fly across the area they were fighting in on the other side across from sai. She had just another time when in air to see Sai had gain some speed back but still no where close to attacking, before she landed hard on the ground. Coughing she rolled on her side, trying to get up.

with sai

_Damn this bitch doesn't give up._ he thought as he block yet another swing. But she was getting sloppy. He notice this a minute ago, when if she went her normal speed she was showing, she could of ended the fight when he had to spin away but it had left his back open. He felt her try, the wind of the blade wiping his bare back as he stepped forward and turned again to face her.  
_If only she wasn't on the bad guys sides, she would have been a great sparring partner._

His sword gets ripped out of his hands from the last blow. _damn_ he thought as he saw her face light up and her sword came down.

Trying to back away his foot slip in the sand reaching up he grabbed her sword arm and pulled her down. Placing his foot on her stomach and grabbing her other arm that had came down to stop her falling and flipped her over head when he landed on his back. Still gripping her sword arm he turns on his stomach, grabbing the end of her hilt and pulls it out of her hand.

The girl having the air knocked out of her lets go and tries to gets away but couldn't get out of the hold the Sai had her in. Sai quickly grabs her head and twists. With a snap she didn't move again. Falling back on his butt, he looks around only to stop seeing Sakura run at the black head man to throw a punch only to get her wrist caught and her thrown to the ground. He watches as the man turned slowly around to face the back of Sakura who was trying to fight to get up, to see the face that haunted team Kakashi; Sasuke Uchiha. He got to his feet without thought and starts running as fast as his sore legs would take him. In horror he saw in slow motion as Sasuke walked over to Sakura who had looked up at and was looking at Sai running at her with wide green eyes.  
He came closer and closer. Sasuke stopped just behind her and lefts his sword up. He saw the mans mouth moved and Sakuras hurt green eyes filled with tears. Sai jumped hopping that he could just make to push her out of harms way. He didn't care nor fear; only for her life.

The sword came down. The world froze. Not a single sound was heard nor did the air stir.

Than a scream broke it all...


	6. Haunted

Thanks for the great reviews guys:)

Heres chapter six for you.

The Mistake

Chapter Six: Haunted

_Wake up... Please..._

_ Are you listening?  
Wake up... I can't do this alone..._

_ Please, please wake up._

Drip.  
Drip.  
Drip.

Red. All he saw was red when he first started to come too. Light was hitting his face making his eyelids red. He just lays there on a soft but hard bed. He knew it had to be a bed but what did that mean? he knew he wasn't home his bed so pillow soft where this one wasn't. He felt a dull pain all over his body, so he was alive. He tries wiggling his toes to have them ache from movement but he could still move them. Next he moved his fingers but hisses and stops as a blinding pain shot from his right shoulder down his arm and back up again.

After the pain dead away some he opened his eyes, blinking against the light of the window. Seeing the wall ceiling, walls, and an IV drip hocked on his arm, he knew he was in a hospital. Looking out the window with a turn of his head he saw the familiar streets and buildings of Konoha. _Ok so I'm home, but what happen?_ he thought glancing around the room._ I remember fighting, the brown head chick, Sakura fighting some guy._ Slowly as that thought came to him, he bolted to an upright position only to fall down dizzy and hurt. Closing his eyes, he took shallow breathes to think past the pain.

_Sakura was fighting Sasuke! Why am I here?!_ he thought angrily.

His door opens allowing the blonde male into the room, cutting his train of thought off at the sight of the puffy eye unhyper man before him. Slowly Naruto close the door behind him and walks over to a chair next to Sais' bed, dragging his feet. As he sat down, his eyes stand downcast. He rests his elbows on his knees and bent over to place his head in his hands.

They sat quiet for a while before Sai tried to say something but ended up in a coughing fit that made his shoulder react violently. Naruto jumps at the sound of the coughing and grabs the water that was set to the side and lefts sais head up to give him some of it.

Spiting some of it back up, just a sign hes been out for awhile, his throat feels better and the coughing stopped. Naruto lays Sais head back onto the pillow listening to his shallow breath and whizzing.

Naruto sat back in the chair, waiting for Sai to relax again. When he heard his breathing went back to normal he asks. "How's the shoulder?" it was so quiet that if Sai wasn't waiting to heard something he would of missed it.  
Glancing at right side, covered in bandages. "It feels like someone stabbing it every time I move." he turns back to the man next to him as Naruto put his face in his hands. "What happen Naruto?"

Naturo keeps his face covered. How could he sat this? He didn't think Sai would wake up when he was in there. He had just got release and wanted to check his teammate. Kakashi was let go this morning, saying he wasn't going to stick around there. And Yamato was called back to Hokages tower and asked if he would stay with Sai. Seeing how he was going there anyways, he said he would.

"Naruto." Sai's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He let his bandage covered hands drop into his lap, looking at the man in the bed.

Sighing he spoke just above a whisper. " You took a sword in your shoulder. The chakra in the sword destroyed your nerves in your arm. They let you out of ICU yesterday. The doctors got most of it remade or fixed the best they could." He looks up and caught sais eyes before throwing his face to look out the window. He balls his fists in his pants, small red shots begin to show on the whiteness of the bandages.

"We caught Sasuke, he had a smashed foot making it hard for him to stay clear of me and Kakashi. They got him in lock down below the village. After the last attack he did, their going to kill him." Tears started to form in his blue eyes. This should have been a happy day; he got Sasuke back in the village! But every time he thought of his old teammate the picture he gets isn't of when they were children, it's the one where he's standing over Sai and Sakura with his sword stuck in them. Sakuras' scream was what broke him. He wanted nothing more than to kill the bastard himself! And he almost did when Kyuubi took over. He wasn't going to tell Sai that more than half of the land on the borders had nothing for miles. Nor how they had Yamato and Gaara hold him down before he got his final blow in.

"Where's Sakura?" Sai asked quietly. The feeling of dread came to him as Naruto danced around what he really wanted to know. He's seen Naruto after he had the nine tail fox out, afew times before and knew that Naruto had done it again. But now a days, he had really good control over it. And like always Naruto wouldn't meet his eyes, he wouldn't meet anyones eyes after for awhile.

"Sakura-chan" Narutos voice broke with a sob before taking a deep breath. "When we came over, we saw the bastard over you two. He had gotten your right shoulder but Sakuras left, her heart." He stands up and starts pacing, his voice rising with each word. "The bastard! He just stood there, like he was enjoying it! And all he said was "At least they died with each other"" He turned on Sai. "Sai. We tried! Oh how we tried! But she took to much damage! The doctors there tried working on her for hours but they were all spent after healing all the others! They had me roped and sealed up! I couldn't do anything." He dropped back down in the chair with his head in his hands. "I couldn't do anything..." he repeated.

Sai laid there taking it in. he was shock. Sakura was dead. The person who got Naruto and the other rookie 9 to talk with him and slowly became friends with. "I let her die.." he said slowly, quietly.

Naruto jumps up and grabs his hand. "No! I saw you! You tried! Ever I couldn't of gotten to her in time from where I was!"

" No Naruto. If you were where I was, you could of save her, with your endless amount of chakra. Me... I was spent, wasting my time on some bitch in a sword fight." he shook his head only to wince in pain from movement.

Naruto let go of his hand like it burned him, before looking down at his feet. "Yeah... I could of. But I didn't. I couldn't protect her. And now her killer is in the village and I can't kill him." a bitter laugh came from him. "I think I was the weak one in team 7 not Sakura." Sai jumps. _That's right he is here!_ he thought as he tried to jump out of his bed only to fall clutching his shoulder. Pain and dizziness took him. Everything started to blur as he tries to speak.

"Let's...him...and... him... Sakura." was all he got out before falling to the cold floor, unconscious. Before darkness took him again he heard Naruto yelling and some other voices fill the room.

Some days later

He was let go from the hospital when he gain conscious. He was only let go when Naruto had broke into the room and told them too. He couldn't even make a small girn at the memory of it happening. His right arm was bandaged up and pressed on his chest in a sling. Next to him the blonde walked.

Dress in black just like Sai was and held a grim look to him. He could tell Naruto hasn't slept and was crying. His eyes were all puffy and red. Tears came down his face, freely. Sai looked up from staring at the ground to see they made it to the KIA memorial; Today was Sakuras funeral. The sky was cloudless, bright and warm. Birds were doing their songs. But all the villagers and people who had come to the funeral were still sad on the beautiful day.

In front of them was ninjas without the ninja gear on, citizens standing outside the Circle of black dressed ninjas, all wanting to pay respect to the Kunoichi who, at one time or the other, had save their lifes or just befriended them.

Naruto leaded Sai to the the last of the rookie 9. Sai stood off to the stand as they all grouped together and talked quietly. Soon only seven out of nine was going to be left of the mightily group. Sai couldn't help but feel out of place among them, Sakura was the one who got them to open up to him and befriend him. Looking back to them; if he hadn't knew who they were he would of said they look like family. Glancing down at himself he thought _I'm just that person who stopped by for awhile._ Even Gai's team was apart of the family, like cousins who come by now and again. He looked up at seeing movement from the group to see the other blue eyed blonde fall into Naruto's chest, crying. Naruto crying as well as he held Sakura's female best friend.

Finally The Godaime steps up, away from the other Sannin, to address the crowd. Her own Honey brown eyes sadden and looking her age, even if your body was still of a young woman. When those eyes locked with his, he turns his head. After the Hokage spoke everyone was allow to say farewell to the pink head kunoichi.

When Sai steps forward and just stares at the picture of her. What could he say as a farewell? His left hand moved onto his right shoulder. He failed her. Failed. He had failed before but this feeling was worst. It made it hard to breathe, his chest tighten and kept a hold on him. Slowly did he pulls the white flower from his other hand and places it with the others before her picture.

_ I am sorry..._

Later

_Sai... Please wake up..._

_ Wake up..._

_ Am so sorry... I shouldn't..._

_ Please just wake up..._

_He stood there, looking over the Sakura trees and the flowing flowers and endless green hills. The starrier night, made a sight. His heart gave at the sight of the trees. He failed the girl who bore the same name as them. He downcasts his eyes at the sight.  
"Whatcha doing?" came a soft voice, laced with mirth. He jumps to guard, incase of a attack, looking around. His eyes stop see a woman standing about 10 feet awhile, with her hands behind her back as she leans forward, with her head tipped to the side. His eyes widen.  
The flowing white gown made everything about her brighter. The short shoulder length pink hair, the green eyes that seem to have their own fire, stared back at him. The lighter shade than her hair lips forms a smile that out shines the stars, above them. Sakura Haruno. And again his heart found its wait to his throat, making it hard to breathe. His hand reaches out to her; his right hand. It drops to his side._

_"It seems I'm dreaming." he spoke in a whisper but she heard._

_"Than Wake up." He shook his head, never taking his eyes from her._

_ "If I wake up you won't be there. I'm not leaving you again."_

_ Slowly her face becomes sad. Her hands falling to her sides. "Please wake up... for me." He shakes his head faster now. Her beautiful green eyes, filling with tears. "Please.. I miss you.." Tears flowing down her checks._

BAM!

He jumps into a sitting position on his bed, holding a Kunai in his left. Wincing in pain from the sudden movement he sees a black-op in front of him.  
"They want all ANBU to report in." Was all the cat-like mask female said before poofing away.

_That's right..._ he thought _it was just a dream_. trying not to pay attention to the disappointed settling in his gut as he puts on his Black-op uniform.  
Its been afew weeks and after his arm healed enough he joined the ANBU again. He wanted nothing more than to a faceless nobody again. Hes heard that voice every time he sleeps now but it was the first he had a dream of her in it.  
He zips up the vest. Today was the day they put her murder up to pay for his crimes. Maybe that's why he had the dream or maybe hes just going to have a ghost follow him around till his final day.  
Picking up the Wolf-like mask and placing on. As he jumps out the window his mind is haunted by those tear filled eyes of hers.

_I'm never going to lose that image..._


	7. The Habit

Hey. thanks for all the great reviews everyone!

i just wanted to tell you after this chapter theres just one more. this ones abit jumpie like the last one but yeah... thats what happens when... yeah.. ok enjoy this and i hope i dont disappoint any of you with it.

i dont own naruto but it i did i would soo love it.

later

The Mistake

Chapter Seven: The habit

_There he is_ he thought shaking with angry. He wasn't allow to move. He was being used for show as they march the younger Uchiha out. He stood in line with other black-ops making sure people didn't rush at the uchiha, though if they did the ANBU was unsure if they would stop them, maybe even join. Sakura had join the ANBU for medic reasons. So she had worked with some of the members standing there now. So not all was happy to have to protect the traitor who killed their friend.

Sasuke turns eyes eyes on one wolf mask. Onyx met onyx. Than he smirks, remembering the 'replacement' of his old team. Stopping in front of Sai, keeping his head forward. He spoke low, just enough for him to hear.  
"I heard rumors of team kakashi; one of the strongest teams, they said. How if someone had that team on their tails they should just give up, no way to escape them. It was funny to hear. I got away all the time. So that's all they were; rumors of falsehood. The team is weak."

"That team caught you." Sai said through clench teeth and narrow eyes.

Sasuke laughs a mad mans laugh. "Caught me? No. I allowed them too. My mission was over. But at least I maimed one and killed other. What good is that team now?" Still laughing he walks up to the platform.

Sai clenches his right hand feeling the pain shoot up his arm and down. All because of the man being told the reasons why he was being killed not 60 feet away from him. The doctors all said he'll still have some pain but it will dull in time.  
Sai starts to take deep breathes as they start to name off the all the things that the traitor did against the Village. When they named murdering fellow shinobi of the same village he looks up, watches. They allowed the Hokage to step up and whispers something to Sasuke before standing and moving back some, holding up arm up; the sign.

"May you find peace and forgiveness where you may go for you find none here, in Konohagakure." Godaime said letting her arm fall, ending the youngest Uchiha life.  
Sighing, he listens to some cheer, cry and others just stand there; glad one Uchiha was down. Now all that stood in way was the older. _That's right. If he didn't do what he did. Sakura would be alive cause Sasuke won't of left..._ Sai thought. _And if he didn't left... I wouldn't of knew her_.

He starts walking with no set place to go. He did what they wanted of he already. So he was free for the rest of the day. He took to the roofs as thoughts continued on. _What did he mean his mission was over? Did he kill his brother already? If so, where was the body? Why didn't Orochimaru take his body? Did he not know Sasuke had done it?_ He moved faster till there was no roofs left, doing a quick frontward flip he lands on a branch before taking off again. To clear his mind of all the junk and useless information he did a series of flips and rolls. Doing one more flip he lands out of the trees onto the ground in front of the grave stones.  
Standing there catching his breathe before walking slowly over to where Sakura was.  
Coming in front of white marble stone, he stands next to two blondes and a sliver head.  
Ino had her arms wrapped around Naruto resting her head on his shoulder, while he had his arm over her shoulder, holding her to him. Kakashi stood there staring up at the sky with his hands in his pockets. All three stood quietly, till Ino notice the ANBU standing there.

Standing up straight she asks "Who are.. I mean what are..." Sighing shaking her head, she looks back down at her friends grave.  
Naruto rubs her back as he kept his eyes on the stone. "It's Sai, Ino."

Sai moved his mask off to the side of his face, not even trying to make a false smile, like normal. "Its done." was all he said before they became quiet again.

What seem like hours, Kakashi got summoned, Ino had to go and deal with the flower shop. Leaving Sai and Naruto to stand there. Naruto kept Sai in his vision. On the outside he looked normal but he didn't miss the new gear. Meaning he left the team. Kakashi before they had walked here, had told him that he too was going back to the black-ops. He didn't want to see the man, who he was trying to come back, get killed.

Finally he says. "Your leaving too." Sai knew it was statement and he let it hang there. He knew it would hurt Naruto if he went back but he knew he couldn't stand being on the team.  
"Kakashi is too."

"..."

"... its over now, isn't?"

"Yeah..."

"you didn't have too." Naruto said hardly believing his own words.

"Naruto. If Kakashi is leaving, Yamato hasn't really been with us, you really think team Kakashi would stick?" Sai said turning his head to look at naruto.  
"But Sakura-"

"Would of wanted us too." Sai says sighing as he turns back to the stone. "Why do I get the feeling you tried that one with Kakashi?"

"...I did." They went quiet again, not really thinking.

It wasn't to long before Sai spoke again. " I think he did it." Killed his brother was what he wanted to say but he knew Naruto would know what he was saying. He grew up a lot and had lost his childless behavior, some what. But he got what people were saying now.  
"Oh..." Naruto didn't know what to say for that. So he left it. He thought back on what Tsunade had said afew days back. She wanted to retire, to live in the background again. Naruto just wished his best friend would have been here for it. " In the next month... Im going to be Rokudaime. I came here to tell her that."

"It's what you wanted. She would have been proud and alittle scared for the village." Sai said.

Naruto hmped and crossed his arms. "I don't see why. I'll be good for the job."

Chuckling Sai says. " Yeah, your first act would be to have all shinobi eat ramen and know Sexy Jutsu. Not to mention the paperwork. You can hardly do a mission report." Sai turns and starts walking off, sliding his mask back on his face.

Naruto turns as well, walking with Sai back to the village. "Yeah keep it up and I'll make sure to put you with the kids." Sai gets a thoughtful look behind his mask before saying. "One me and kids not mix, so if you want them alive, keep them away from me. Two you do realize you are still a chunin? And if you become Hokage think what the other nations will think." Narutos face drops.  
"Shit... I forgot about that.."

Days went on and Sai went on missions to pass the time faster. His dreams came now and again but the thing that stand with him all the time was her face with tears running down and her voice telling him to wake up.  
He could never figure out why she would say that or rather his mind would say that. It made no sense to him, so he lived with it. The day before naruto had become the 6th Hokage, they were at her grave again; Kakashi, Naruto and him. Just standing there. It had become a thing of habit for them. Ino would join the boys for awhile, bring flowers everyday from her shop, before her own life would pull her away. As for them, their life went still and nothing moved unless one said something that they thought Sakura wanted to know or just to get it out. Naruto had just finish telling how they wouldn't change the custom for Hokage.

When he looks up to the sky and in a small, quiet voice he said. "Do you think she would be mad at me if I moved on?"

Sai and Kakashi gave him a look.  
"Well I been..." He sighs. " I know am becoming hokage soon but ever since..." he left that part unspoken, it became a unspoken rule to never say anything about that day. "Awhile after me and Ino got together... Not really dating but still .. But I want too." he looks back to her gravestone. "I do care for her. Sure shes loud, sometimes annoying. But she has a soft side, hell she even started to eat ramen with me almost every night! But she was Sakura's best friend. I just feel like I'm going around her back and jumping her friend."

Again silence expect for some of the birds chipping. Kakashi sighs and pulls one hand out of his pockets and puts it on Narutos back. "Naruto, you know she would of wanted you to be happy. You and Ino were her best friends and if you two got together and made each other happy. She would be happy." Kakashi said, smiling behind his mask down at the man beside him.  
"Yeah." Sai voice his encouragement before adding. "Besides its not like he could have kids with the blonde, seeing how hes dickless." Sai gives a smile behind his mask before chuckling at a fuming Naruto.  
"Oh just wait Sai. I will find something you really don't like and make you do it once I'm Hokage." Naruto said angrily but feeling better, seeing how he was using nicknames again. Naruto had notice when Sai kept calling everyone he had to talk to by their given name. If he started the nicknames again than maybe he was getting better?

After Naruto was named Rokudaime, He and Ino made it clear to everyone that they were together and happy with each other. He even made a good Hokage / boyfriend. he also found the thing to tick Sai off. Seeing how he was dating Ino, who had the Shintenshin no Jutsu (soul into body technique) At the word of Naruto, Ino could and would take over his body, make him walk out into public wearing a dress and make-up shouting 'I'm a pretty princess!' or whatever Ino wanted to say before she cancel it, to leave Sai to clean it up. Of course Ino hasn't done it but the threat was there and Sai really, really didn't want to test that.

He was on a mission. It was should have been a easy one. Bring one scroll to Iwagakure and bring back another one. Really it could of used for a newbie team. He guess this was payback for catching the Hokage sleeping while his clones did the paperwork but really this was abit much!  
Currently he had about 5 or more Ninjas right behind him trying to take the scroll. It wasn't even a huge thing! Naruto wanted to know what was going on with the village there seeing how their leader had died or whatnot. Whats the big fuse over that?  
Glancing behind him to see the other ninjas still on his tail he thought angrily Damn dog with a bone.  
Looking in front of him to find a place to fight them cause they wouldn't give, he was left with fight or run out of chakra than fight. Well he rather fight with chakra than without.  
Seeing a clearing up ahead he pulls out two of his scrolls with his drawings with one hand and with his other he grab some kunai.  
Doing a flip forward he threw the kunais at the ninjas. Before he lands he made the signs and let his scrolls open up. Just as he lands his wolves jump out of the scrolls, going at them.  
Afew got away but landed close to where the black-ops was. Grabbing his swords hilt, he doesn't wait for them to use a hand sign or anything as he ran at them, drawing the sword. One of the man met him head on with his long bladed knife. They fought for awhile but when the man made a mistake, Sai jumped at him to slice at the mans midsection. Before he dropped to the ground Sai had turned to the others.

So he didn't see the other 15 shinobi, they all made mistakes before. But this was not one of those times to be alone when making the mistake.  
_Damn you Naruto_ he thought as he just barely dodges some shurikens. He hisses in pain as a senbon that he hadn't seen lodges itself in his right shoulder. That small thing made the old pain come back to life with interestingly more pain.  
He lefts his sword just in time to block a woman wielding a kunai, who had came down seeming to lodge that too in his shoulder. Their trying to pull me apart! he thought dryly. Hes seen this before. When you just attack and attack till you hurt the person. Than you go after that spot till the person is down. Now he really wished he had back up. He couldn't use his drawings anymore cause they had a few people who use water jutsu. And right now the rain from the last attack stung his eyes and his now bleeding shoulder.

_...wake up..._

Great that's all he needs. Her voice telling him to wake up again. Her voice comes at random times and most of those times it was just bad timing. Like one time when he was fighting some idiots from the grass village. A huge water dragon broke his line of thought as he jumps away from its mouth. _See? Bad timing_ he thought.

He drops and rolls before the rain of kunai and shriken crashes where he stood. Just as he was about to stand something hard hit his head.  
Falling face first in the ground on the verge of passing out. He feels someone digging in his pockets.

Before everything went black he idle wonders why she could doing that to him...


	8. Never Losing Time Again

I want to thank six people who have stuck with me through out this story.

xxtokoidokixx

Jenkonoka

Sakura-angel113

Darkangelrakell

heroineofearth

Silent kunoichi aka. Fiona

Thanks alot for your great reviews and sticking with me. I hope you guys really like the ending of this story. I'll most likely do another pairing of these two cause after this one i sortof started to like the pairing more. :p heres the final chapter of The Mistake. Enjoy.

i dont own naruto

The Mistake

Chapter Eight: Never Losing Time Again

_Sai..._

_its me Wake up..._

_ ..Please..._

_His onyx eyes looked around the area he was in. The same starry night, Sakura trees. In his dream again.  
"Damn.." Sai said. He was on a mission and last he remember was being hit in the head. Thinking of it he brought his hand up and covers the back of his head before bring it over to his face. Seeing no blood. He rolls eyes.  
"Of course..." He didn't get hurt here. It happened before with his arm. Looking around he sees Sakura sitting under a tree, playing with a piece of her hair. Walking over he sits down next to her. They stay quiet enough for him to feel like his at the gravesite again before he was pulled from his thinking when she put her hands on his shoulders and brought his head down to her lap. As she starts playing with his hair, she hums a nameless tune.  
"Your going to tell me to wake up again, aren't you?" he asks finally. He loves seeing her but he was on a mission. The last time she came he woke up in a hospital days after he 'fainted' as the doctors told him.  
Stopping her humming she says "I would really like if you would wake up but.." her voice broke, like she was holding back sobs. "Even am being to think you won't." He open his eyes and blinks up at her. Whats the point of telling himself in his dream to wake up if he was enjoying this dream? So he didn't say anything to her.  
"I really wished you would..."She said letting her tears fall, petting his hair with her hand. "But its time. I tried to hold them off... really I did.."_

_ "Them? What are you talking about?" he said reaching up and wiping some of her tears away.  
"I really don't want to say good bye, Sai. So please just wake up!" She yells the end. He flinches with her being so close. He starts feeling himself get pulled but her hands are against her face. _

_"What the?" Sai starts only to feel more pulling, pushing.  
"WAKE UP!!"_

Sai blots up in a sitting position.

"EKKKKKKKK!!"

Blinking he looks over to see a woman in a nurses uniform, on her butt holding her hands where her heart was, breathing deeply. He papers and clipboard laying all around her.  
"You... you...gods!" She spits out still trying to catch her breath. Sai looks around away from the nurse. He knew he was in a hospital which only made him growl and glare at the walls. He was really getting sick of hospitals and their beds.  
Turning back to the nurse he asks. "Which hospital?"

"Huh?" she said turning back to him after she grabs her clipboard.  
Growling he asks again a bit different. " Which hospital am I in?"

'Oh!" she blushes before going on. "Your in Iwaga hospital. A group of our shinobi brought you in.." She cut herself off as a man walks into the room, where the ninja clothes of the rocks. Which to Sai looked a lot like the same clothes as the ones who attack him. He narrows his eyes on the man, who put his hand up behind his head.  
"Hmm yeah.. That was my group. They were doing a scouting mission when they saw you. Sorry they thought you were a grass-nin. We're been having problems with them using our area for something but we haven't found out what yet. Sooo yeah... My deepest apologizes for their actions." as he finish he put his arms down to his sides and bowed deeply.  
Sai sighs. _well they could of just ask_. he thought. "Well... alls well. Just make sure to tell them to check first than attack." he said laying back down. "Did your leader get the scroll?"

"Oh yes. Lord Yuichi got it. And asked me to give you this." he said walking over and pulling out a scroll before laying it on the table next to the bed. "For your Hokage. I have heard you let a Chunin become the hokage, was that wise?"

Chuckling Sai slips from the bed, standing up looking for his clothes. "I believe Naruto will do a great job protecting his love ones; the whole village. Ah." Finding them he grabs them and throws the curtain forward to change without eyes of a blushing nurse and a shocked ninja, looking on at him.  
"Naruto? As in the old team Kakashi's naruto?" he asks.  
Sai snorts. _Old? We're already being called old?_ he thought dryly.  
"Yea.. The same." he murmurs as he pulls his shirt over his head, wincing for the dull pain in his shoulder and as his hand rubs the back of his head.  
"What a lost. I became a medic because of her." The nurse said.  
"Yeah I met someone who said he got away from them, I laughed at him."

Sai quicken his pace. He really didn't want to hear about his old team. The only ones who got away from them was Sasuke, Orochimaru, and the Akatsuki. Well some of them at least. The rest was killed by other teams.  
"But to make him their Hokage.. Jezz. I met him once. A loud, hyper guy. Always seems to be getting into some sort of trouble. Doubt he'll make it long." Both starts laughing.  
"Am surprise he lived so long if hes anything like you said." the nurse says before giggling.

Growling Sai grabs a Kunai and throws it as he opens the curtain, aiming for a place between the two. Making the girl scream again and the ninja jump. Grabbing the scroll, fully dressed in the ANBU uniform with mask in place, he says. "Naruto is Hokage and _my_ friend, he may be hyper and sometimes loud but he is a great Hokage and has surpass many great ninjas. Do wise not to talk about him or that team lightly." He moves for the window as the man asks.  
"Whats wrong with you? Its not like you were part of that team."

Putting his hands on the frame of the window he says. "I was." jumping out of the window he made his way to the forest back to Konoha. Quietly crusing himself for the out burst.  
Naruto really was starting to rub off on him.

He made his way to naruto's office. He had to give the annoying blonde a piece of his mind. So what if the ninjas who attack him was from the village he was going to nor was it ok that it was just a mistake. It was a mistake that naruto did, he decided. Jumping from roof to roof he made it to the hokage tower faster. He almost runs down the hallways to the office of the Rokudaime.  
He was a black-ops! Not some genin he could send to get some stupid scroll! And it was high time he was shown that through some old fashion butt whipping. So yeah he was still a bit unset about the mission but still the point being, Naruto couldn't keep sending him on missions that were genin or chunin level just because he wanted too!  
Not even knocking he slams the double doors open, only to have his jaw drop to the floor and his eyes bug out of his head.  
There was the hokage with his girlfriend in his lap having a tongue battle.

"What the hell?!" Sai said voicing what he thought.  
"Oh!" Ino cries out jumping from her boyfriends lap as Naruto stood really to attack before seeing who it was who caught him.  
"Oh jezz Sai. Ever heard of knocking?" Naruto said laughing while rubbing the back of his head while the other hand made its way to pull Ino back before she hid.  
"Ever heard of keeping it private?" sai said walking in.  
"Well we were behind close doors." Naruto said with a nod, grinning as Ino turns red, trying to hide her face in his jacket. "Ino dear, say hello to Sai."

"Naruto..." Ino said hisses at him. But being with Sakura for so long he wasn't scared of the Blonde in his arms, instead he put his face where her neck and shoulder met and gave a kiss there.  
"So mission went well?" Naruto asks leaving her neck as she slaps his arm.  
"If you don't count being attack by rock newbies and listening to some guy and nurse talk about you and team kakashi... Went fine." Sai said throwing the scroll at Naruto, who caught it and opens it up and starts reading, keeping one arm around Ino to keep her from bolting.  
Naruto starts chuckling. "You got your ass handed to you by newbies, huh?"

"I didn't say that."

"No but the scroll does... basically." Naruto said as he countiued to read the scroll.  
"Speaking of which, you need to stop sending me on those type of missions."

"Well as Hokage I can send you on whatever mission I want."

"Than I'll see you after your done here... In the training field."

"Oh I don't think so." Ino piped in, pulling her head from Narutos chest. "Hes coming home tonight even if I have to Shintenshin his ass to do it!" She glares at Sai. "Or maybe I should do it to you..." She lets the threat come up and hang there.  
Sai takes a step back. Naruto starts laughing throwing the scroll down on the desk as he wraps his arms around Ino and rests his chin on her shoulder, bending down. He was really tall against her.  
"Looks like I'm caught for the night." Naruto says grinning. Sai rolls his eyes.  
"But I'll start you on missions of your level. It was selfishly of me to pull you from hard missions..." Naruto stands back up and sighs. "I just don't want to lose another, you know?" He asks Sai as he looks across the room to him.

Sai downcasts his eyes before saying. "Yeah... thanks... I'll see two you tomorrow than?"

"Yeah... we'll be there. Kakashis on mission so he won't."

"Alright. Goodnight Ino, Naruto."

"Goodnight Sai." Ino says putting her hand on Narutos arm as he sat back down at the desk. Sai left the room and headed home.

He sat alone in his apartment, looking over his last paintings. Really they weren't to bad, if you don't mind seeing dark and sorrow things. He must of painted her painful filled eyes a dozen times over the last two months. He always started to paint her during her happy times to try to clear his thought of her sad but it always turns back to when he last saw her, crying, hurt and scared.  
He knew this must be for letting her died. Even if Naruto and others told him it wasn't, he still felt he could of done more.. Something, anything.  
"Your haunting me to death, you know that?" he whispers to one of the paintings of her standing next to a Sakura tree in the white dress, like the dreams.  
"I'm lucky it was the rock ninjas or I could have been dead." He sighs. "Or maybe that isn't a good thing... Your still confusing even if your not here." Standing and walking over to his bed he flops down on it. "Now would be a good time to talk, when I'm not in the middle of fighting for my life." he said before closing his eyes.

_...Sai?.._

_His eyes goes widen. "Alright. that's weird..." looking around he still saw his room. Sitting up he looks around not finding what he thought should be there. "Where are you?"_

_...Sai..._

_ You better pull through this._

_  
"Pull through what? What are you talking about?" he said standing and walking around the room. He walks through the door of his room and walks back out to the living room, the art room._

_ We're all here.  
Just wake up..._

_"Sakura? Hag come out." He said getting angry. He had looked in the kitchen and bathroom, still nothing._

_Ok? You hear me? _

_Wake up.. Sai..._

_ Wake up!_

_Pain rips through him as he fall to the ground from the force. Yelling he felt like the sword had just went through him again. His whole body felt like it was being tore at. His eyes blurs in and out of focus. But he couldn't pass out. His room spins until he felt like he was going to throw up but he still couldn't close his eyes from it. His room starts fading. Slowly everything; pain, spinning, tearing, it all went away. Till nothing was left._

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

"No... It can't be.." Whispers the green eyed woman standing next to the bed. She had watched as the doctors pulled 'the plug' from the man in the bed. But she was hoping against odds he would get out of it. She felt the blonde man hands on her shoulders.

"It... Oh Naruto He should of woke up!" She cries turning and falling into his arms. "He should of.."

"Sorry for your lost..." a doctor said moving to leave the room. He really hates doing that part of his job, but its what happens to ninjas sometimes.

Naruto stood still holding the crying pink head, as he to cried. Even if Sai picked on him and bugged him, Sai was his friend. He kept his face in the girls hair, trying to keep clam. He felt the girl beside him starts to rub his and the girl in his arms backs. The girl broke from his arms sitting back down in the chair she had been sitting in all day long and night. Still wanting comfort he turns on the other blonde who he towered over and pulled her into a hug, crying in her hair instead.  
Kakashi and Yamato stood off to the side watching gravely. It was a big lost to the team. Yamato and sai had come into the team together and had worked before the team, so he turns to the window to watch the village, trying not to think of what had happen.

The pink head holds the mans hand and starts to whisper again likes shes been doing for the last month. "Sai... Please... please just wake up. Wake up."

_Wake up_

"Hag... Shu... up..."

Blinking her eyes she saw the Onyx eyes of the man staring at her. She reaches out to his cheek.  
"Sai? Your ..." her voice broke. "you woke up?" She was happy until what he said came to her _hag._ Her eye brow twitches. "After all this time... you call me hag..." she said leaning over him to make sure he got the full blow of her glare.

Without her noticing he reaches up and pulls her the rest of the way down to him and mets her lips he saw Naruto do some many times with Ino. Seeing how she didn't move back he moved his hand to move from the front of her shirt to her hair.

When she finally pulled back for air, he says. " You telling me to wake up is annoying." he looks around to notice he was at the hospital again, but at least his mouth was dry like before. Damn he really hates his dreams, expect the kissing that was a new thing that he didn't want to stop. Sighing he looks back at Sakura who looks so happy as tears came down her cheeks. _If only real_. He thought.  
He moved his right arm again, yeah really was a dream, it didn▓t hurt. Lifting his left he winces in pain.  
"Shit.. What the..?" he looks to see his arm across his chest in a sling.

"Oh Sai!" Was the only warning he got before Sakura came down and wraps her arms around him.  
"I.. We thought you didn't make it!" She balls next to his head. Blinking he saw Naruto letting go of Ino to look over the pink hair to see him.  
"Shit Sai! You scared the shit out of us!" Naruto yells. "Man if you do that again... Man I don't know what I'll do to you!"

"Yeah Sai you had Sakura and Naruto worried to death over you!" Ino says putting her hands on her hips.

Sai's eyes widen and does a double take of the room and the people. Moving his shoulders up and feeling the pain again in his left shoulder not his right, he goes. "But.. This ... isn't this a dream? I mean I got hurt on my right shoulder.."

"What... Dream? No. You've been out since you pushed me out of the way of Sasuke's sword." Sakura said lifting her head up and sitting on the bed next to him, with a smile on her face.  
"But... You died.. And you became Hokage and started to date Ino..." Sai said looking around the room at the others in it. "Ino threaten to use her jutsu on me and march me around leaf wearing a dress..." His eyes fall on Kakashi would was leaning against the wall with his foot propped on it and his book over his face. Yamato was standing on the other side of the bed smiling down at him.  
"Well I should seeing how you got your teammates worried to death for you!" Ino threaten.  
His eyes widen. "NO!"

"Ino leave Sai alone! He just came back to us!" Sakura yells at her friend before looking back down at him with a smile. "I didn't die, Sai. You took the sword through your shoulder just above your heart, while I got it.." She pulls the right side of her shirt down to show him a small scar there. "Got it in my right. Naruto and Kakashi came shortly after and took Sasuke down as I started to heal you." She looks sad. "But you went into a coma and I couldn't pull you out... We tried.. But we had to pulled the plug seeing how its been a month and you wrote in your papers to do so after a month." She brightens up again. " But it doesn't matter now... You're a wake and that's all the matters now." she said touching his cheek.  
He leans into it. "Well damn..." He moves his right hand up and pulls her down for another kiss.  
"What are you doing?!" Sakura said holding back.  
⌠Mmm...? Kissing you if you get down here." Sai said pulling again.  
"Why?!"

"I'm not about to lose anymore time with you." was all he said before pulling himself up and catching her lips.  
She pulled back with a smile and the pink shades to her cheeks.

"Naruto... Ino... you really should try this.." Sai said looking back at them, smirking. "You two made a cute couple. and Think of it this way. At least his dickless."

After afew days in the hospital from being punched by Ino and Naruto. Sai got Sakura to accept his offer for dating. Not to long afterwards did Ino and Naruto told them that they had started dating awhile back but didn't want to say anything till Sasuke was brought in or killed. Sakura and Sai had a scar where the sword prieced them but no pain seeing how Sakura was the best medic around but they keep thier scars just for a reminder what happens when you chase after something but never grasps it till its to late.

But luck was on thier side for once and let them have a second chance to grasp it. And thier not letting go...

The End.


End file.
